A real treat!
By spritzhenry
26 comments
Did you watch the ‘Gardeners’ World’ programme where they visited Cothay Manor Garden in Somerset – it was on last week.
Remember this shot of the path to the front door, between lavender bushes?
You won’t have seen this shot, though – because I took it at Cothay! Admittedly, it’s her back, but the lady wearing trousers is Mary-Anne Robb, the owner and ‘Head Gardener’ – her words – of the beautiful gardens at Cothay Manor.
What a treat – and an afternoon to remember.
NGS garden owners in Somerset were invited to go to Cothay last Thursday to hear a talk by Mrs Robb, to have tea, and to look round the gardens.
They’d thought of everything – the awning you can see was one of three on the lawn, with chairs underneath in case it rained. It didn’t – we had lovely weather for our visit.
After an entertaining and interesting talk on the house and garden, and a cream tea, we were free to look around. Mrs Robb was about in the garden, to answer the many questions we all had.
A view of the house – dating back to mediaeval times.
This avenue of Robinia pseudoacacia trees, underplanted with Nepeta, featured in her talk. Every part of the garden has a name. This avenue was originally called ‘44 Street’, as there were 44 trees there. Then two died, and shortly after they were removed, Mrs Robb showed a party of Americans round the garden. Knowing she couldn’t now call the area ‘44 Street’, she made a quick decision, and told the group it was called ‘Unicorn Avenue’. Somehow, she carried on with the tour – but a statue of a unicorn was commissioned and placed in the centre.
The garden has what seems to be miles of yew hedging and topiary. Every avenue or vista has a focal point, and this urn caught my eye. I suppose that if you’re lucky enough to have huge containers, the planting must match it – think big!
Not every urn was planted in such an exuberant way, though – the simplicity of this one really struck me.
Walk down the grass paths between yew hedges, but turn off through every arch in the hedge, to see what hidden wonders await you. Each of the ‘rooms’ so formed had a different feel and colour scheme. My absolute favourite was the white garden.
Back on the terrace outside the house, the herbaceous borders were a joy to see – the planting was triumphant, full of colour, unexpected in the choice of some plants, but always beautiful. I got the impression that plants were allowed to seed themselves, and did.
Clematis and roses clothed the walls of the house.
This Clematis viticella had climbed to the roof and was making its way up to the chimney!
I’m not sure if this beauty is another C. viticella, but it was full of flowers.
I told you about the topiary – this part of the garden was simply an outer circle of tall yew hedging, an inner circle around a fountain, with the ‘sentry’ like forms spaced round. It was green and peaceful.
Not all of the gardens are as formal, though – leaving the yew hedges behind, there’s a wild-flower meadow, a river running through the grounds, and a mound overlooking the house – with a metal stag standing proudly on its summit as if he were on guard.
Gardeners are the same, whether they own a wonderful garden like Cothay Manor or a small suburban plot – they enjoy sharing plants or seeds with other gardeners. Mrs Robb is no exception – I asked her for the name of a beautiful Geranium I’d spotted – and she offered to send me some seeds when they’re ripe.
I do apologise for the blurred photo – but this is it.
She didn’t know the name, as it was one of many Geraniums sent to her when a French National collection had to be moved.
Well – if you’re ever in the area, Cothay Manor is open to the public, and I can recommend it as a stunning place to visit.
24 Jul, 2011
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Comments
looks great thank you for sharing!
24 Jul, 2011
What lovely pics Spritz! I did see the programme but I think your pics make it look even better! Next time we go down that way we'll be sure to visit. We went to Hestercombe Manor in Somerset, and that was beautiful too. It's good that these beautiful places are being kept up, and we're allowed to see them for ourselves. Thanks for the picture show. Annie (Cumbria)
24 Jul, 2011
Lovely blog! What a garden! It's really beautiful!
24 Jul, 2011
That was a lovely blog Spritz. The Unicorn avenue with Robinia pseudoacacia trees, underplanted with Nepeta is quite stunning.
24 Jul, 2011
That's a lovely blog Spritz! It really fills in the gaps in the tv coverage. As you say, what a treat, and on a beautiful day too! I wonder was it one of those huge urns that you photographed that she wanted her heart buried in! Ewww! Thanks for putting these on...it's going straight on to my favourites!
24 Jul, 2011
i did see it ............. its gawjus !! it was also featured on country house rescue , seems as tho its come thou then !!
def love to visit
25 Jul, 2011
What a treat, Spritz! The ngs organisers obviously felt you deserved it . . . quite right too. And what a lovely owner to offer to send you some seeds - it's a beautiful geranium. Thank you for showing us round. :))
25 Jul, 2011
Great blog Spritz! Saw the programme, and remember country house rescue..the lady of the house is quite a character.
I loved the pond with the "sentry" topiary, the white garden, the borders, the clematis...I could go on...Thanks for the virtual visit!
25 Jul, 2011
what a lovely article on a beautiful garden. one on my visit list when I get down that way.
25 Jul, 2011
Thanks, all - glad you enjoyed the tour. We certainly did!
Tetra - it's not too far for you to go to visit. You'd love it. :-)
25 Jul, 2011
What a great blog! Thanks B...it's a really truly English place isn't it! Such variety in the garden too with the formal and informal blending together in places. I may not get the chance to visit, but I'm glad you did! :)
25 Jul, 2011
What a lovely reward for all the hard work you put in opening your garden for the NGS. Well deserved !
25 Jul, 2011
Thanks, Karen - it was a delight. :-)
Marie, I don't think the Somerset NGS has ever done anything like this before - we were all very pleased to have such a generous invitation, and of course we thoroughly enjoyed it.
25 Jul, 2011
Thank you for sharing your visit with us Spritz. I did not see the programme but the name rang a bell. I did see the Country House rescue programme, thanks for jogging my memory Tetra. She is quite a character and if I remember correctly she is quite elderly and she and one gardener did all of the work in the garden and she did not worry too much about the state of the house. It is lovely to see that the rescue worked and she is now sharing her garden and her enthusiasm with others.
25 Jul, 2011
My husband watched the 'Rescue' programme when we came home, and he says she hasn't carried out many of the ideas the programme suggested. :-(
She did say in her talk that they needed money to restore some ancient wall-paintings so maybe she'll have a re-think. You can pre-book a tour of the house - we might well do that, as it looked wonderful from the outside. I believe Mrs Robb is in her 70s now.
25 Jul, 2011
I'm so pleased you had a lovely visit round these gardens, Spritz. I did see the GW programme and thought what a lovely, if slightly eccentric, lady she is! Fabulous gardens, with something interesting to see around every corner.
26 Jul, 2011
She is lovely - she answered lots of people's questions, and chatted to us all in her gardens, too. She has no 'side' to her - she's a real gardener, and doesn't act like the owner of a stately home at all. :-))
I do feel very lucky to have met her and seen her lovely gardens.
26 Jul, 2011
What a charming garden,I saw the program and remember the lady very well, certainly a character.......and how kind offering to send you some HG seeds, that was an unexpected pleasure for you from the NGS, please take note Hampshire!! thanks B enjoyed the blog.
26 Jul, 2011
I do hope you might be offered a similar 'treat' Dd - and why not? ;-)
Glad you enjoyed the blog.
27 Jul, 2011
I have not forgotten about the HGs have been busy with visitors, and I need a good few hours to go through your list again....
27 Jul, 2011
Oh dear - I didn't want to make work for you!
27 Jul, 2011
Great blog as always Spritz and a well deserved treat for you. Was I seeing things or were there sweetpeas tumbling down in one of the urns? I remember the Country house rescue program too, I always end up feeling frustrated with people who ask for help and advice...then totally ignore it lol. Ah well...I suppose we are what we are. Thanks for the visit, fantastic place:-)
3 Aug, 2011
Yes, there were sweet peas in the urns! An amazing collection of unexpected plants in each - all different.
I've watched the programme since we went to Cothay, and I'm bewildered as to why they didn't carry out some of the very sensible suggestions. The plant area is still across the other side, and it would be much better close to the entrance to the garden.
I think the real problem is that it's their home. They can't see the commercial aspects because of that.
3 Aug, 2011
Thanks Spritz for sharing your visit with us, I have a passion for visiting such houses for the history and the gardens but this one is a wee bit too far so I really appreciate your blog and the lovely photo`s.....
3 Aug, 2011
Thanks - we really loved the house and gardens - well, the outside of the house, I mean! Maybe one day we'll book ahead and have a tour of the house.
Perhaps you'll get a chance to stay down here at some time - you never know! I'd certainly recommend Cothay for a visit - I preferrred it to many NT properties.
3 Aug, 2011
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It looks beautiful and magical...times like this are when I wish I lived down south ;) I especially love that pic of the white garden, and the one of the border after it :) Thanks for posting them :)
24 Jul, 2011